Not long ago I heard from a dear friend whose son had been the victim of a freak accident. He had been hit in the back of the head by a golf ball. His recovery was not going well, and a blood clot in his brain was causing pressure that potentially could paralyze him for life, or worse. The boy had been in intensive care in a semi-comatose state for ten days when his mother and I first spoke. For some reason, he did not improve and his prognosis was not good. High risk surgery with possible brain damage was a fast approaching option that everyone wanted to avoid.

In the course of our conversation, she asked for a meditative/prayer practice and I suggested one called the Archangel Meditation. In it, we surround ourselves or someone dear to us with angelic energy for the purpose of protection and healing. Soon after our talk, her son had to be put into a medically induced coma so that he could be kept quiet and out of pain in the hope that the swelling would be reduced.

My friend began frequent guided meditation and prayer with her son, despite the fact that he was in a coma. The sub-conscious mind can absorb meditative guidance; moreover, the soul never sleeps. She continued consistently for many days. Indeed, when he was brought out of the coma, he was repeating the words of the meditation.

From that time on, each step along the way, just before a major invasive decision had to be made, he would improve. Hours before they had to put in a permanent shunt to draw off the cerebral fluids, the pressure stabilized. Thanks to modern medicine, the boy is alive and well. The doctors and nurses deservedly get credit for the miracle. His mom, dad, and I firmly believe that angels had a great deal to do with it as well.

ARCHANGEL MEDITATION

Each evening, traditional Jewish bedtime prayers include the following invocation: "May Michael be at my right, Gabriel at my left, Uriel in front of me, Raphael behind me, and above my head, the Shekhina--the Divine Presence." This is one of my congregation's favorite meditations; it works well for adults and children. As a meditation, it can be used to develop a sense of protection, comfort, healing and security. It is one of the few meditative exercises that is recommended at bedtime.

When we call upon angels to be with us, we tap into an infinite resource of good will. It is as if we were plugging into the magnetic core of the earth to keep ourselves centered. Archangels represent the God-center of the universe; they draw nourishment from Its infinite supply. The only impediments to connecting with this energy are doubt and cynicism. If we can recognize these as they arise in our minds and find appropriate cubby holes in which to keep them in reserve for the times when they are useful, we can instantly benefit from the feeling of angelic presence.

1. Try to find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for 20-30 minutes. This meditation can be done in bed at night, when falling asleep. Close your eyes, relax your body, and breathe normally. Allow your attention to focus on the experience of your body and the movements of your chest and stomach around your breath.

2. Let yourself imagine that you can feel a presence along the right side of your body and the right side of your face. It can feel like a subtle pressure, a tingling, a vibration, heat, coolness, or some other sensation. If you cannot feel anything, simply think that something is next to you, almost touching on the right side.

3. Give this experience on the right side the name of Michael. The archangel Michael is often viewed as the messenger of God. Whatever this may mean to you, pretend that the messenger of God is totally present on your right side. Be with this experience for a while.

4. When you are ready, let yourself imagine another presence on your left side. Feel the pressure, just as on your right. This is the archangel Gabriel, which is known to represent the strength of God. You can experience both sides simultaneously. The messenger of God on your right, the strength of God on your left. Stay with this experience for a while.

5. Allow yourself to sense something behind you, anywhere along the backside, particularly supporting you as you are sitting or lying down. Imagine this is part of what is holding you up. This is the archangel Raphael, generally known as the healing power of God. Now you can do all three simultaneously. Michael the messenger on the right; Gabriel the strength on the left side; Raphael, the healer supporting you from behind.

6. Next, with your eyes still closed, imagine a light is shining ahead of you in front of your face. Allow it to be as bright as you can. This is the archangel Uriel, the light of God. Now you are surrounded on four sides: a messenger, strength, healing and light.

7. Finally, imagine a huge, benevolent cloud of light hovering above your body. The is the Shekhina, the feminine presence of God. Allow the light of the Shekhina to slowly descend, surrounding you with love, enveloping you with tender protection, cradling you in the softest, most peaceful state of mind you have ever experienced. Surrounded by angels you are also in the arms of infinite kindness, absolute security and safety.

8. If you are in bed, this is a wonderful way to drift off to sleep. If you are sitting, stay as long as you wish in this state of mind. When you are ready to end the meditation, however, do not get up too abruptly. It is much better if you are able to reverse the process, slowly allowing the Shekhina to rise up again to hover over your head. Then let go of the angels one by one, making sure they do not go too far away, but giving you freedom of movement. Even though you let go of the meditative state, you will probably feel a residual of this experience once you begin moving around.

You can practice this meditation as often as you wish. We cannot overload on angelic energy, it is always beneficial. This is a great meditation to share with children, especially at bedtime. Most people who are ill gain enormous benefits from this guided meditation; you can do it in their homes or in the hospital. I have even done this over the telephone. But be sure that the person meditating will not be disturbed for at least twenty minutes, and most important, you should be well practiced in it yourself before offering it to others. (For a direct experience, listen to the audio files on Archangel Meditations.)